Swami Answers Devotees' Questions

[An online spiritual discussion was conducted on December 06, 2020, in which several devotees participated. Some of the questions of devotees answered by Swāmi are given below.]

1. Did Lord Paruśurāma really became egoistic or did he just act like that to teach us a lesson?

[Reply to a question by Śrī Pavan.] Swāmi replied: Paraśurāma is a sage and he can never develop an ego. He only acted like that to teach this important point of ego to all the human being components in Human Incarnations.

2. What is the significance of donating a cow during the death ritals?

[Śrī Pavan asked: The cow is a symbol of dharma or justice. Traditionally, a cow is to be donated during the rituals following the death of a person. It is believed that the soul of the dead person can hold the tail of that cow and reach higher worlds. Is this true?]

Swāmi replied: The soul does not reach the higher worlds holding the tail of the cow! With the donation of the cow, the soul can only cross the Vaitariṇī river to reach hell. Even that can take place only when the cow is donated to a deserving receiver. If the receiver is undeserving, the soul will lose the grip on the cow’s tail in the middle of the river. The actual meaning of crossing the Vaitariṇī river, which is a river of blood, is nothing but the crossing of the soul from the stream of the blood of this gross body during death. That is symbolized by the Vaitariṇī river. The spiritual meaning is the crossing of the bonds of blood relationships of this world to reach God. The person who thus succeeds in crossing worldly bonds does not go to hell, but instead, goes to the abode of God.

3. Is it true that, if we focus on God, we cannot be very successful in wordly life?

[Reply to a question by Śrī Nithin.] Swāmi replied: This is utter nonsense! In fact, if God is against you, you will never be able to earn even a single paisa, in spite of your most hectic worldly efforts. On the other hand, when God is pleased with you, wealth and materialistic life runs after you like your pet dog. If you are walking away from the sun (God), your shadow falls before you and you will never be able to catch it, no matter how fast you run after it. But if you turn around and walk towards the sun, the same shadow will run after you like your pet dog. If you are a devotee of God, He takes care of your worldly life as well as your spiritual life (Yoga kṣemaṃ vahāmyaham; na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati—Gītā).

4. Should we do wrong actions when forced by our employer?

[Śrī Nithin asked: In my professional life, sometimes, my boss orders me to do certain adharmic actions that cause loss to our competitors. He does so out of vengeance for them. If I tell him that it is wrong, I will lose my Job. What should I do in such situations?]

Swāmi replied: If you do not have an alternative job, you can follow the orders of your boss. You do not have any intention in your mind to do injustice. Hence, you are not involved in that sin. You are forced to commit the sin by your boss and you are doing it only because you find no alternative job to maintain yourself.